Remodeling Your Home: Home Much is Too Much?

The classic way for homeowners to increase the value of their house is by remodeling existing rooms or adding on to its current plan.

Some choose to build recreation rooms and studies while others add new appliances, fixtures and cabinets to enliven rooms and make their home more attractive to future buyers.

But, when should you decide to stop sinking money into a home and buy a bigger place? And how much rehab is too much when it comes time to recovering remodeling costs through a home sale.

For instance, if you’ve just spent $1,000 remodeling your living room and didn’t expand your small bathroom, the chances of increasing the number of interested buyers are slim.

With these concerns in mind, Century 21 sales associates offer a few tips for those struggling to add value to their home.

First, always protect the character of your home. Nothing sticks out more than a new addition that is in a completely different architectural style. Be consistent. Recognize your home’s character and stay within its framework.

The most financially rewarding areas to remodel are usually the kitchen and bath. Newly re-done cooking spaces and cabinets can attract more buyers and may command a slightly higher price for the home than a comparable one on the market. Simple repairs that are made to last will bring you the biggest returns upon sale.

Enlarged bathrooms are the most popular attraction for new home buyers, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association. Today, the most popular additions for younger buyers are sunken whirlpool baths and showers. But be sure to install modest, solid amenities. It’s easy to quickly over-spend on bathroom fixtures.

Buyers are, by convention, more interested in above-ground living space – not basements, yards and walkways. Swimming pools can be a poor investment if installed for the sole purpose of increasing a home’s value; it’s rare that a pool’s cost will be recovered in a home sale. It can also be a negative feature for potential buyers with very young children.
Replacing worn carpeting, tiles and wood floors can give your home an immediate advantage over similar properties in the area. Updating paint colors in all areas of your home can also prove beneficial.

However, it’s recommended that you use neutral colors, such as gray, beige and off-white when adding new floor and wall coverings. Fewer buyers will then turn away because of differing tastes.

Stay simple with your remodeling and look at your home as though you were the buyer. Chances are that if you find the upstairs bedroom could be brightened by a larger window, potential buyers will probably feel the same.

Don’t go overboard. Concentrate on improving two or three deficiencies in your home. More than likely, the time and money you spend adding quality to your home.

Flipping Out on New FHA Regulation

Information provided by Jim Monninger, Mortgage Specialist, Jim@FirstTrustMortgage.biz

On January 15, 2010, FHA made some changes to the June 7, 2006 anti-flipping policy on property flipping.

For the past 3 1/2 years HUD has not allowed the resale of a property within 90 days due to flipping concerns. While the initial intent was to prevent the rapid escalation of the price of homes through questionable flipping of properties, it is now hindering the sale of homes since prices have fallen and more properties are the subject of foreclosure.

While there were several exemptions to the rule, almost all applied to Banks and Financial companies. This change will directly impact the small investor who buys properties cheaply and repairs them for resale.

Currently many HUD or Lender Repo's are sold "As Is" without warranties or repairs. Many of the foreclosed homes are purchased by investors who have the means to repair the homes but may not purchase the homes due to the 90 day holding requirement to sell to a new FHA Buyer and the cost and risks associated. These buyers have to account for the longer holding time and potential risk of vandalism. Thus the homes tend to sit vacant longer and hinders community stabilization and revitalization.

Beginning February 1, 2010, sellers that meet the new requirements may be able to sell the property prior the old 90-day rule. The sales must be an arms-length transaction. The seller must hold title to the property (i.e. no double closing). There must not be prior evidence of flipping on the property and special rules apply if the increase from the sellers purchase price the buyers purchase price is greater than 20%.

This is a positive change from HUD. Homes may stay vacant less and buyers have more options. These transactions will be under more scrutiny but they can now get completed

With FHA case numbers pulled on or after 4/5/2010 the UFMIP (Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium) increases from 1.75% of the loan amount to 2.25% of the loan amount. The good news is that it is still financed as an addition to the base loan amount.

Another bit of good news is that the 6% seller contribution will continue for another few months and the talk of increasing the FHA minimum down payment from 3.5% to 5% has been but on indefinite hold

The following link is the link to the FHA condo search website:

https://entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/condlook.cfm